I know we have the generic "Oklahoma Passenger Rail Updates" thread but I figured we should have a thread specific to the current Heartland Flyer service. Pete/Martin, if you guys disagree, please merge this thread in with the Oklahoma Passenger Rail Updates thread.

Now then, with that out of the way:

Friday, June 14th, 2019 marks the 20th anniversary of the start of service for the Heartland Flyer, and ODOT and Amtrak are marking the occasion with a celebration! There will be a ceremony to mark the date on Friday at Santa Fe Station, beginning at 7:45am and continuing until the Heartland Flyer departs for Fort Worth at 8:25am. Guest speakers include Secretary of Transportation Tim Gatz, OKC City Manager Craig Freeman, and Amtrak Senior Manager Todd Stennis - as well as Katie Moore, who submitted the winning name for the service in 1999. A new logo for the service will be unveiled as well! Amtrak is also celebrating by offering a fare sale for the Heartland Flyer - 20% off all fares through the end of August, as long as the travel is booked at least 3 days in advance. Limited-edition commemorative merchandise is also available, including an embroidered polo, an insulated stainless steel tumbler, and a lapel pin, all emblazoned with the new logo.

For more information, please see the Heartland Flyer website at http://heartlandflyer.com/heartland-flyer-celebration/.
For more information about the Heartland Flyer's fare sale, or to book tickets, visit https://www.amtrak.com/promotions/heartland-flyer-20th-anniversary.

I found ODOT's press release on the celebration: https://www.ok.gov/triton/modules/newsroom/newsroom_article.php?id=277&article_id=51657



Amtrak Heartland Flyer celebrates 20 years on track in Oklahoma and Texas

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 11, 2019
PR# 19-020

In 1999, passenger rail made a triumphant return to the Sooner State as the Amtrak Heartland Flyer hit the rails between Oklahoma and Texas. Now the train is readying for its 20th anniversary on June 14 with celebrations and a summer of savings for passengers.

The daily service by Amtrak has carried more than 1.4 million passengers between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth during the past two decades. The line was initiated thanks to federal funds received by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation to start Amtrak service. ODOT and the Texas Department of Transportation contribute funds annually to continue the daily operations. The Heartland Flyer connects to the Texas Eagle train in Fort Worth, which provides service to major cities including Dallas, Little Rock, St. Louis or Austin and San Antonio.

“The Heartland Flyer continues to be a major transportation solution for connecting Oklahoma to rail options nationwide,” Oklahoma Secretary of Transportation and ODOT Executive Director Tim Gatz said. “We appreciate the support of Oklahomans and Texans for this line and look forward to opportunities to keep it growing in the future.”

As part of the 20th anniversary celebration this Friday, June 14, the Heartland Flyer will get a special send-off at 7:45 a.m. from the Santa Fe Depot and the Paul Adams Memorial Platform in Oklahoma City. Invited guests include Secretary of Transportation Tim Gatz, Oklahoma City Manager Craig Freeman and Amtrak Senior Manager Todd Stennis. Participating with her family will be Katie Moore of Oklahoma City, who suggested the name for the train when she was 11-years old in 1999.

Other anniversary celebrations this summer include:

Amtrak is offering a 20% discount off Heartland Flyer tickets from now until August 31, but tickets must be purchased three days in advance. Passengers can book their tickets online at https://www.amtrak.com/heartland-flyer-20th-anniversary or by phone at 800-872-7245.
ODOT will be giving away Heartland Flyer tickets on social media in celebration, so be sure to like and share.
Limited edition Heartland Flyer 20th anniversary pins and shirts are available for purchase through Amtrak from June 10 to June 24 at https://amtrak.bnr.corpmerchandise.com/june2019
The Flyer has partnered with the Oklahoma City Dodgers to bring you this news during games and over the radio.
A National Park Service “Trails and Rails” Volunteer rides every Friday through Sunday train now until Sep. 2. The guides meet people from around the world as they travel by rail and share the beauty and history of the regional and its national parks.

The Amtrak Heartland Flyer, Trains 821 & 822, provides daily service between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth with stops in Norman, Purcell, Pauls Valley and Ardmore, Oklahoma and Gainesville, Texas. Adult fares for the full route range from $31-52 each way. Pets and bicycles are welcome, but space is limited so reserve your tickets in advance.

Juts curious to know, if anyone here has taken this route from OKC to Ft Worth? Thought it might be something fun/different to jump on and ride down to Ft Worth for the weekend with the kids. Any idea on how long of a trip this would typically be, with all the stops mentioned above?

Juts curious to know, if anyone here has taken this route from OKC to Ft Worth? Thought it might be something fun/different to jump on and ride down to Ft Worth for the weekend with the kids. Any idea on how long of a trip this would typically be, with all the stops mentioned above?

https://www.amtrak.com/heartland-flyer-train

The wife, daughter and I took the trip down and we enjoyed it. Nice easy ride. walked around downtown Fort Worth area, had a nice dinner, spent the night and went to the stockyards the next day, and then rode the flyer back that evening. It was a good 4+ hour trip both ways but it was just nice to go do something different that's not too far away and not be rushed.

I've taken it a bunch of times. It's around 4-4.5 hours if I remember right. Drops you off within a few blocks of Sundance Square. There's plenty to do in the area. You can even jump on the TRE to head over to Dallas from the station if you so choose. Yes, this would be a fun trip with your kids.

It's a great, cheap round trip ($31 last time I looked not long ago). Plus, for $12 you can take the TRE train from the same station the Flyer drops you off at to Union Station in downtown Dallas.

It's a great, cheap round trip ($31 last time I looked not long ago). Plus, for $12 you can take the TRE train from the same station the Flyer drops you off at to Union Station in downtown Dallas.

You can get a regional pass and travel on the TRE, DART, A-Train, etc.

Juts curious to know, if anyone here has taken this route from OKC to Ft Worth? Thought it might be something fun/different to jump on and ride down to Ft Worth for the weekend with the kids. Any idea on how long of a trip this would typically be, with all the stops mentioned above?

Oh yeah, several times. The trip usually takes just about 4 hours and is really relaxing and enjoyable.

You can get a regional pass and travel on the TRE, DART, A-Train, etc.

That $12 was the regional day pass.

Juts curious to know, if anyone here has taken this route from OKC to Ft Worth? Thought it might be something fun/different to jump on and ride down to Ft Worth for the weekend with the kids. Any idea on how long of a trip this would typically be, with all the stops mentioned above?

I actually used to take it for work if I had to make a last minute trip to Dallas/Fort Worth and flights were outrageous by the time I was booking the trip. I've also taken it to OU/TX. It's a fun trip. With all the construction on I-35W, the 4 hour trip isn't all that much longer than driving and it is 100X more relaxing than sitting in traffic.

Officials from Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas met with Amtrak very recently to move the Heartland Flyer extension to Newton forward. I can’t tell you how much I am looking forward to this. I am planning a SW Chief trip from LAUS to Newton in July but I am not thrilled about having to take Greyhound to OKC.

I would not mind at all even booking a hotel room in downtown Newton for one night while waiting for a train connection. I just wish downtown Newton would get a boutique hotel. Maybe once this connection is built it will be more feasible.

https://jcpost.com/posts/cdf29c89-3ccb-46d5-9769-d1c5b0125251

When I was a kid, my grandmother would routinely take the train down to OKC from Milwaukee.

Very fond memories of going on the train to see her off and just being downtown. Really cool stuff for a little kid.

When I was a kid, my grandmother would routinely take the train down to OKC from Milwaukee.

Very fond memories of going on the train to see her off and just being downtown. Really cool stuff for a little kid.
It will be cool if we can get a real regional train network going with a steady flow of passengers. Of course we won’t ever see crowds like Union Station(LA) let alone those in the NE. But having a nice steady flow of activity in our train stations will be really cool to see. It will also be nice to be driving and seeing more passenger trains as frequencies are increased.

It would just be fun to take the train the Wichita, KC and Chicago.

The best solution for that would be a direct connection to STL through Tulsa. One day.

The best solution for that would be a direct connection to STL through Tulsa. One day.
But not possible on the current railroad, SWCL, 20 mph to Tulsa, an hour thru the yard connections, to get to the BNSF, then on a busy freight railroad to Springfield, and on to Saint Louis. Lucky if you could do it in 20 hours. I say this from 38 years as a conductor on the BNSF.

When Amtrak took over, here in Oklahoma, the Lone Star was always full, but that was 1979, and there was a lingering structure to run and take care of the train. It’s all gone now, the BNSF is freight only, and Amtrak is a skeleton, underfunded, badly managed, political wounded and sick animal at best.

But not possible on the current railroad, SWCL, 20 mph to Tulsa, an hour thru the yard connections, to get to the BNSF, then on a busy freight railroad to Springfield, and on to Saint Louis. Lucky if you could do it in 20 hours. I say this from 38 years as a conductor on the BNSF.
I propose completely new ROW along I-44 ROW to Tulsa. NE of Tulsa I have no clue how to route it.

I propose completely new ROW along I-44 ROW to Tulsa. NE of Tulsa I have no clue how to route it.

All for it, build it and they will ride? But the cost is beyond Oklahoma’s ability. And again, you have a FREIGHT railroad that considers Amtrak a complete nuisance, on a single track ( albeit with dispatcher controlled signals) busy railroad. The FRISCO and the Santa Fe had huge departments dedicated to their passenger service, and because well off and powerful people rode the trains, the trains were run on time and with professionalism. “You don’t know what you’ve got, till it’s gone, they paved paradise, and put up a parking lot”.

Officials from Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas met with Amtrak very recently to move the Heartland Flyer extension to Newton forward. I can’t tell you how much I am looking forward to this. I am planning a SW Chief trip from LAUS to Newton in July but I am not thrilled about having to take Greyhound to OKC.

I would not mind at all even booking a hotel room in downtown Newton for one night while waiting for a train connection. I just wish downtown Newton would get a boutique hotel. Maybe once this connection is built it will be more feasible.

https://jcpost.com/posts/cdf29c89-3ccb-46d5-9769-d1c5b0125251

Amtrak does offer a thruway bus connection between Newton and OKC, just FYI... you can ticket your trip all the way to OKC all through Amtrak without needing to rely on a different transportation provider. I've done this for trips to and from Chicago from OKC (the hours are less convenient but travel time is much better when going to Chicago via Newton, by a factor of like 12 hours IIRC)

^^^ with the right ambitions, I think Oklahoma could pull it off. As much as I’d like to see it, we don’t need Chinese/Japanese 350+ MPH trains. 110 MPH is a reasonable goal, IMO, coincide it with a widening of I-44 to six lanes. Do it all at once.

Amtrak does offer a thruway bus connection between Newton and OKC, just FYI... you can ticket your trip all the way to OKC all through Amtrak without needing to rely on a different transportation provider. I've done this for trips to and from Chicago from OKC (the hours are less convenient but travel time is much better when going to Chicago via Newton, by a factor of like 12 hours IIRC)
With current infrastructure we will have no choice but the prospect is better than let’s say a direct train to LAUS. We’ll likely always have to connect at Newton for that unless Amarillo and ABQ have some massive boom which does not look likely.

PS, I’m likely going to get the sleeper cabin. Have you any experience with that? Is it worth the price?

I'm 18 months away from retirement. One of my goals is to take the Amtrak from Denver to the Pacific Northwest. I understand the scenery is gorgeous.

I just need to figure out how I can get to Denver without driving or flying. I could do either, of course, but what is the fun in that?

A connection to Newton KS and onto Denver on Amtrak would be great. I also think the return trip, Seattle to maybe San Diego to San Antonio and back up to OKC , would be a blast.

I have ridden the Amtrak from San Diego to San Juan Capistrano a couple of times. I really enjoyed those short rides.

I have ridden the Amtrak from San Diego to San Juan Capistrano a couple of times. I really enjoyed those short rides.

When I was heavy into triathlon, once a year a group of us would cycle from Anaheim down to Solana Beach or all the way to downtown San Diego, then ride the train back. Either way, you bike through Camp Pendelton and have to show your ID to pass through.

Also would sometimes go north, from Moorpark to Santa Barbara with a side-trip up to Ojai.

On that line (the Pacific Surfliner) they had big compartments that held bikes.

Talk about seeing the sights... You really take them in both ways, the first on a bicycle and the second on a train. What great days those were.

Officials from Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas met with Amtrak very recently to move the Heartland Flyer extension to Newton forward. I can’t tell you how much I am looking forward to this. I am planning a SW Chief trip from LAUS to Newton in July but I am not thrilled about having to take Greyhound to OKC.

I would not mind at all even booking a hotel room in downtown Newton for one night while waiting for a train connection. I just wish downtown Newton would get a boutique hotel. Maybe once this connection is built it will be more feasible.

https://jcpost.com/posts/cdf29c89-3ccb-46d5-9769-d1c5b0125251

AND, Amtrak is including this extension in its strategic plan for growth (along with 2 more round trips to Fort Worth per day). It has real legs, and I'll be very happy to take it north to connect to Chicago (and Michigan).

https://media.amtrak.com/amtrak-connects-us/

AND, Amtrak is including this extension in its strategic plan for growth (along with 2 more round trips to Fort Worth per day). It has real legs, and I'll be very happy to take it north to connect to Chicago (and Michigan).

https://media.amtrak.com/amtrak-connects-us/

It's really important, though, to remember that while Amtrak's leadership sees the Heartland Flyer expansion effort as one of their top priorities, and expansion looks more likely than it has in a long time, actually operating the train will still require funding from Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas due to the cost-sharing methodology mandated by PRIIA Section 209. This effort is so important to Amtrak that their current proposal is to use infrastructure funding to pay for all of the costs necessary to start the service - both the necessary capital improvements and the increased operational expenses - but after the third year, we'd be back on the hook for operational costs. With the increase in route-miles from the expanded service - both the extension to Newton and the additional frequencies to Fort Worth - I expect Oklahoma's share of the operational burden will be substantially larger than it is today. Without a strong champion on the state or federal level, that increased cost will be a difficult pill for Oklahoma lawmakers to swallow - and I have my doubts that ODOT would be willing or able to simply absorb that additional burden without some sort of additional funding (increased appropriations or federal assistance as was used to start the Heartland Flyer back in '99). Amtrak is estimating that the capital improvements alone would generate an economic impact of $1.9 billion, along with an annual economic impact of $64.8 million, so I do hold out hope that lawmakers will see the value in keeping the expanded service going once the states are back on the hook for operational costs... but knowing Oklahoma, I personally expect that to be a frustrating, uphill fight.

This is still in the early planning phases so costs - and the state's share of the burden - have yet to be determined; Amtrak seems very confident that the economic impact will offset the increased operational burden, but it remains to be seen how committed Oklahoma will be to supporting this extension. To me, it's notable that the only representative from Oklahoma on a recent Amtrak media event was the mayor of Ponca City... and that is a bit worrysome.

That media event, btw, can be viewed here: https://vimeo.com/560982534

It seems likely Kansas and Texas will approve the funding. Oklahoma already pays for the majority of the service. Will Oklahoma approve of increased funding? Hard to tell. Unfortunately, for whatever reason Mayor Holt was very quick to indicate OKC will not be contributing ANY funding for it even though he acknowledges the benefits so that isn’t exactly hopeful. I wonder if our legislators will back it.

You mentioned certain provisions requiring a funding share split, I wonder to make Amtrak more appealing to states if that rule would be eased a bit. Biden and Amtrak seem really keen on getting this initiative going. I’m sure there will be some other states besides Oklahoma who simply don’t have the money or will take a very long time getting it going. The Mayor of Ponca city said costs in his town alone would likely run north of 2 million. I think for this to work in Oklahoma Amtrak or the feds are going to have to have to help big time as this is a crucial link for much more than only this state.

I’m curious to know what your opinions are on that given you have a high degree of knowledge on this issue.

It seems likely Kansas and Texas will approve the funding. Oklahoma already pays for the majority of the service. Will Oklahoma approve of increased funding? Hard to tell. Unfortunately, for whatever reason Mayor Holt was very quick to indicate OKC will not be contributing ANY funding for it even though he acknowledges the benefits so that isn’t exactly hopeful. I wonder if our legislators will back it.

You mentioned certain provisions requiring a funding share split, I wonder to make Amtrak more appealing to states if that rule would be eased a bit. Biden and Amtrak seem really keen on getting this initiative going. I’m sure there will be some other states besides Oklahoma who simply don’t have the money or will take a very long time getting it going. The Mayor of Ponca city said costs in his town alone would likely run north of 2 million. I think for this to work in Oklahoma Amtrak or the feds are going to have to have to help big time as this is a crucial link for much more than only this state.

I’m curious to know what your opinions are on that given you have a high degree of knowledge on this issue.

I do have to admit that my level of knowledge here is simply because I'm a nerd that loves trains - especially passenger trains. I don't have any privileged inside knowledge on any of this, and can only share the information I've found as well as my own personal opinion. That said - I agree with your assessment that Texas and Kansas both appear to be on board with funding the additional commitments necessary to support the Heartland Flyer expansion. Holt's comments on the expansion are about what I expected... as far as I'm aware, the City doesn't currently contribute to the existing service outside of funding station operations and repairs, so the City is simply maintaining the status quo there. I know there are Heartland Flyer supporters in the Legislature - Forrest Bennett is one that I know of for sure - but it remains to be seen if there would be any appetite among the majority for increasing the state's appropriation to ODOT earmarked for the Flyer. I believe that the more vocal that constituents can be toward their legislators in support of Amtrak and the Flyer, the better those chances become.

On your funding split question - so Section 209 of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 (PRIIA) required Amtrak to develop and implement a standardized formula for calculating how Amtrak would share the operational costs for services under 750 route-miles in length with the states that the routes traverse - the idea being that Amtrak would then treat all states fairly and equally when it comes to recovering the actual cost (offset by passenger revenue) of operating and maintaining services through their states. This standardized formula is complicated, but at it's most basic level requires states to proportionately fund approximately 85% of the cost of operating an Amtrak service within their borders, with Amtrak picking up the remaining 15% tab. The current methodology was adopted in 2012, after all affected states (except for Indiana) agreed to the new terms and the Surface Transportation Board signed off on it as meeting the legal requirements of Section 209 (link (https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2012/03/20/2012-6604/amtraks-petition-for-determination-of-priia-section-209-cost-methodology)). As a result, any changes to the cost sharing methodology would need to go through this process again - though that may not be that big of a lift if it improved terms for the states.

You're absolutely correct that some states may not be able to afford the vision that Amtrak wishes to implement. This is the reason why Amtrak repeatedly emphasized that "federal partnership" in the media event I linked above - the intent is for the Feds to help blunt the financial impact of establishing new service and expanding existing services so that the additional costs are much easier for states to swallow. As mentioned previously, Amtrak is proposing to use some funding from the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Bill in Congress right now to cover the startup and continued operation costs of this expanded service for at least a few years. Amtrak is also leaning hard on the idea of ROI through increased economic activity to help offset the additional costs for states. One thing to note, though, since you mentioned Ponca City: Generally, Amtrak doesn't own the stations they stop at (outside of a small percentage, mostly along the NEC), so local governments are on the hook for their city's station stops. The up-to-$2MM figure that Mayor Nicholson quoted is specifically for renovating the former Santa Fe depot, which was originally built in 1911 and has sat vacant since 1998, into a multi-modal transportation hub, with space for Amtrak. I don't know specifically how Ponca City intends to fund this renovation, but it's notable that the depot is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (link (https://catalog.archives.gov/id/86511297)), which will help qualify the City for grants, tax incentives, and loans to cover some or all of that cost. Amtrak's Great American Stations Project (https://www.greatamericanstations.com/) also will help cities like Ponca City find and qualify for additional assistance with their depot projects as well.

None of this is zero-impact to the states or communities through which the service expansion will traverse, of course - but this assistance will make it much easier to establish and/or expand services in states and to show the value that Amtrak service can bring to the areas they serve. My main concern is that it will likely be difficult to get Oklahoma lawmakers to fund the expanded service once the federal grant money runs out and the financial burden for the Heartland Flyer shifts back to the states - especially since there have been times in the past where Oklahoma's yearly bill for the service was larger than the Legislature's appropriation to the Oklahoma Tourism and Passenger Rail Revolving Fund. But I dunno, perhaps I'm being overly pessimistic... I mean, they did pass HR 1036 (http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=HR1036&Session=2000&Tab=0) last year, sponsored by Reps. Ken Luttrell, John Pfeiffer, Rep. Ty Burns, and Rep. Garry Mize, which was a non-binding resolution that expressed support for the Flyer extension, and the feds will foot the bill for the track improvements necessary to get this thing off the ground... so I dunno. I am holding on to hope, despite my doubts.

Specials currently going on for the OU game in Dallas:

https://kfor.com/news/local/amtrak-unveils-special-deal-for-ou-texas-game-travel/

The article also incorrectly states the train will arrive directly in Union Station in Dallas unless Amtrak is somehow doing that.

Actually, for the OU-Texas game, ODOT works with Amtrak to temporarily extend the route of the Heartland Flyer to terminate at Dallas Union Station (DAL) instead of the Fort Worth Central Station (FTW). This extension usually only lasts for OU-Texas weekend.

OK wow I didn’t know that. I sent a correction to KFOR about it now I’ll have to email them again and say that I was wrong. Thanks for the heads up.

Actually, for the OU-Texas game, ODOT works with Amtrak to temporarily extend the route of the Heartland Flyer to terminate at Dallas Union Station (DAL) instead of the Fort Worth Central Station (FTW). This extension usually only lasts for OU-Texas weekend.

Once it goes to 3x/day, they should just go ahead and make at least one of them also go to Dallas. Save us the TRE daypass cost ($12).

Looks like this year the extension to Dallas is only on Friday, 08 Oct 2021 and Sunday, 10 Oct 2021. Amtrak's official page for this special offer is here: https://www.amtrak.com/promotions/heartland-flyer-texas-oklahoma-football-game?intcmp=wsp_deals-landing-page_link_tx-ou-football-game_deals

This route modification is kinda interesting... On Friday, a ticket can be booked on the Heartland Flyer to arrive in Dallas (Ar. 2:00pm), but you cannot book a ticket directly FROM DAL on the Heartland Flyer on the same day. On Saturday, the Flyer follows it's normal schedule. Then on Sunday, you can book a ticket from DAL on the Flyer (Dep. 2:15pm), but you cannot book a ticket directly TO DAL. I imagine this is likely because Amtrak cleans and services the Flyer in FTW between runs... but just thought it was kinda interesting.

I definitely do agree that a permanent extension to Dallas would be really great, to avoid the multi-hour layovers between the Flyer and the Texas Eagle in FTW - especially on Sundays and holidays when the TRE doesn't run. I'm skeptical that ODOT/TxDOT/Amtrak would be that interested though, since there are other overlapping connection options on most days.

Once it goes to 3x/day, they should just go ahead and make at least one of them also go to Dallas. Save us the TRE daypass cost ($12).
Or at the very least include a discount on the TRE pass with a Heartland Flyer purchase. But ideally a direct connection to Dallas would be better. It’d be nice if they extended the heartland flyer to Dallas as the final destination all together.

Actually, for the OU-Texas game, ODOT works with Amtrak to temporarily extend the route of the Heartland Flyer to terminate at Dallas Union Station (DAL) instead of the Fort Worth Central Station (FTW). This extension usually only lasts for OU-Texas weekend.

If you haven’t tried it, the Heartland Flyer game train is a really fun way to get to Dallas for the game. They usually bring in a sightseer car or two (the ones with the overhead windows and dining tables). The fact that it goes to Dallas is extremely convenient. Takes a little longer but you avoid all the game day traffic and get to relax. There are several regulars who have taken it for 20 years that make it fun. My friends and I taught a few of them how to play beer pong one year just after we graduated. Despite the 40-50 year age difference we taught them too well and they beat us a few times!

Amtrak Vs. Auto-Hauler - Thackerville, OK


A dramatic video captured the moment an Amtrak train slammed into a semi-truck hauling several cars in Oklahoma, sending vehicles and debris flying and injuring several people on board.

The incident occurred Friday around 7 p.m. local time in Thackerville, near the Oklahoma-Texas border. Minutes before Amtrak Train 822, which operates daily between Fort Worth, Texas, and Oklahoma City, was scheduled to pass through, the car hauler tractor trailer got stuck on the train tracks, Love County Sheriff Marty Grisham told ABC News.

Fair Use: ABC news

https://abcnews.go.com/US/dramatic-video-shows-amtrak-train-slamming-semi-truck/story?id=80619175

That was nearly a derailment, the lead engine raises off the tracks at least a foot or so upon impact. Luckily no one was critically injured.

It’s been bad for Amtrak lately. Between the derailment that killed people and the shooting in Arizona, now this.

Not like this is groundbreaking news but the Norman City Council adopted a resolution supporting the Heartland Flyer Expansion:

https://www.normantranscript.com/news/heartland-flyer-to-expand-council-nods-approval-for-more-passenger-rail/article_143f10f6-d177-11ec-879f-3fc825450529.html

Not like this is groundbreaking news but the Norman City Council adopted a resolution supporting the Heartland Flyer Expansion:

https://www.normantranscript.com/news/heartland-flyer-to-expand-council-nods-approval-for-more-passenger-rail/article_143f10f6-d177-11ec-879f-3fc825450529.html

GAME CHANGER! Jk :)

GAME CHANGER! Jk :)
Lol

I mean does anyone still ride this little 3 care tourist trip? I see more people in one train on the Chicago El at any given hour of the day than the Heartland sees in its entire day's load.

If it actually WENT somewhere, then we'd be looking at something cool. But who's holding their breathe that the expansion is going to happen....and have the dollars to do it? Give me a Heartland that i can ride to Chicago, well then we've got a deal.

I do and the train is almost always half full. So lots of people use it. I think you should give it a try sometime. I just wish they’d add a full service bar on one of the cars.

An extension would connect it to the Southwest Chief which runs multiple trains between Chicago and Los Angeles with stops in Newton.

An extension would connect it to the Southwest Chief which runs multiple trains between Chicago and Los Angeles with stops in Newton.
IIRC the Heartland Flyer was going to potentially be extended all the way to Kansas City and end there with obvious stops and Newton being one of them to connect to the Southwest Chief.

I ride it and plan on doing it more soon with my bicycle to ride the Dallas area trails. Also once frequency is increased to 3 times day it will become much more useful.

^^it would be nice if Texas and Oklahoma worked together to build a cycle trail between OKC and DFW.

I mean does anyone still ride this little 3 care tourist trip? I see more people in one train on the Chicago El at any given hour of the day than the Heartland sees in its entire day's load.

If it actually WENT somewhere, then we'd be looking at something cool. But who's holding their breathe that the expansion is going to happen....and have the dollars to do it? Give me a Heartland that i can ride to Chicago, well then we've got a deal.

I don't think we're going to see a return of the Lone Star, Amtrak's old direct route from Chicago to Houston by way of OKC. But that said, you *can* ride to Chicago *today*. From OKC, take the Heartland Flyer down to Fort Worth, then catch the Texas Eagle toward Chicago. If you don't mind a bus for part of the route, take Amtrak's "thruway service" bus from OKC to Newton, KS - then catch the Southwest Chief toward Chicago. Once the Heartland Flyer expansion to Newton happens, then you can ride the train instead of having to take a bus, but otherwise the trip will be the same.

It's really important to consider, though, that the thruway bus is a deterrent to many travelers who would prefer their entire journey to be by rail. That's why Amtrak itself wants to see the Heartland Flyer service expanded - it enables an important mid-continent link between the SW Chief and the Texas Eagle, enabling new passenger routing that isn't available or desirable today. Studies have shown that expansion to Newton will substantially increase ridership on the Flyer, from an average of around 60k pax/yr to as much as 200k pax/yr. And Amtrak has already stated that they will be using part of the $66 billion they were allocated from the infrastructure bill to fund capital expenditures and the first few years of operational costs of this service expansion, so Kansas and Oklahoma will basically get instant gratification and won't be on the hook until later, so funding shouldn't be the roadblock that it has been in the past.

IIRC the Heartland Flyer was going to potentially be extended all the way to Kansas City and end there with obvious stops and Newton being one of them to connect to the Southwest Chief.

At this time, the current plan is as Mississippi Blues stated - expansion of the current Heartland Flyer service from OKC up to Newton. Previous expansion studies have also floated the idea of a train operating during daylight hours - that wouldn't interact with the current Heartland Flyer service - from OKC to Kansas City, but that's not currently in the cards.


^^it would be nice if Texas and Oklahoma worked together to build a cycle trail between OKC and DFW.

Those are almost always built in place of rail corridors that are no longer used - but unfortunately there really isn't any old rail corridor that could be used for that purpose between OKC and DFW. The only thing that comes close is the former Kansas, Oklahoma, & Gulf line between Baxter Springs, Kansas and Denton, TX - but that line was legally abandoned so ownership of the property reverted back to landowners along the route. The only other realistic option would be to co-locate such a trail along current or former highway or public utility right-of-way that the State owns or has some influence over... but building an interstate hiking/biking trail along a highway wouldn't capture much of the magic that makes other long-distance trails popular, I fear. It'd still be a neat thing to boast, though.

.....

I mean does anyone still ride this little 3 care tourist trip? I see more people in one train on the Chicago El at any given hour of the day than the Heartland sees in its entire day's load.

If it actually WENT somewhere, then we'd be looking at something cool. But who's holding their breathe that the expansion is going to happen....and have the dollars to do it? Give me a Heartland that i can ride to Chicago, well then we've got a deal.

My family rode the train from OKC to Chicago and back many times in the early 60's. As a 8-10 year old kid it was a fun trip. Walking from car to car, riding in the observation car with the glass windows on top.

Those are almost always built in place of rail corridors that are no longer used - but unfortunately there really isn't any old rail corridor that could be used for that purpose between OKC and DFW. The only thing that comes close is the former Kansas, Oklahoma, & Gulf line between Baxter Springs, Kansas and Denton, TX - but that line was legally abandoned so ownership of the property reverted back to landowners along the route. The only other realistic option would be to co-locate such a trail along current or former highway or public utility right-of-way that the State owns or has some influence over... but building an interstate hiking/biking trail along a highway wouldn't capture much of the magic that makes other long-distance trails popular, I fear. It'd still be a neat thing to boast, though.

Yeah... I get it... the new river-to-Katy trail being built goes along I-40 and the car noise is not great (I've been exploring the accessible sections). Wondering if trees will be added to help with this a little.

I don’t own a car and visit OKC all the time from DFW via the Heartland Flyer.

I can’t explain how big a difference it would make to even have two train options a day instead of one.

it's coming!!!

I don’t own a car and visit OKC all the time from DFW via the Heartland Flyer.

I can’t explain how big a difference it would make to even have two train options a day instead of one.

Agree 100%. I used to use it for last minute business travel (to avoid expensive last minute flights) to ftw or Dallas if didn’t feel like driving. Leaving at 8AM is great but that doesn’t put you in town until noonish. If I wanted to schedule meetings for the morning, I would have to leave a full day in advance. If there was an evening option, you could get there at 10, check into your hotel and be ready to rock the next morning.

One great thing for business travel (or travel in general) is that there’s an enterprise rent a car on site at the train station as well as most other rental car companies within a few blocks (or at least under a mile) of the station. I would always rent a car if I had to go to Dallas or Uber/walk if I was just staying around Fort Worth.

I wish there was more political will in Missouri to extend Amtrak from St Louis to Springfield/Joplin and in Oklahoma to extend to Tulsa connecting OKC to St Louis/Chicago.

I wish there was more political will in Missouri to extend Amtrak from St Louis to Springfield/Joplin and in Oklahoma to extend to Tulsa connecting OKC to St Louis/Chicago.

Hear! Hear! I would love to use such a route!

A popular railfan YouTuber recently covered the Heartland Flyer on his channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1kicdwUQ7c

I wish there was more political will in Missouri to extend Amtrak from St Louis to Springfield/Joplin and in Oklahoma to extend to Tulsa connecting OKC to St Louis/Chicago.

It'd be within the realm of possibility - a direct route exists between the two major cities, and prior to 1965 the Frisco provided daily passenger rail service, called the Meteor, along that route. Today, BNSF owns the line between St Louis and Tulsa/Sapulpa (now called the Cuba and Cherokee subdivisions), and WATCO owns the remaining line between Sapulpa and OKC (the Sooner Subdivision). Before the 2008 recession, MoDOT actually completed a feasibility study to reinstate passenger service along the Cuba sub between St Louis and Springfield, but the recession killed those plans. I don't think there's any advocacy group currently lobbying for a full OKC-TUL-STL train, but if Missouri and Oklahoma worked together, they might find enough political will and public demand to make it happen.

I don't think there's any advocacy group currently lobbying for a full OKC-TUL-STL train

You mean besides Evan (@passrailok on Twitter), he tweets about it quite a lot.